Today is day 15 of my self-isolation due to the coronavirus pandemic. I am an activist, organizer, and immunocompromised human living in one of the nation’s epicenters of the virus — Chicago, Illinois. Today (day 15) is the day that I decided to embrace my new reality. I have spent the past two weeks wishing that I wasn’t alone here in my apartment, wishing I was driving fast away from this place… wishing for ‘anything but’ this. But it is time to come to grips with the fact that as an immunocompromised person living in an urban center where this epidemic will only get worse — this is my world for the indefinite future. And here are my thoughts.
This morning, as I hurriedly entered gifts into our donor database (for my day job), I listened to Michael Moore’s podcast “Rumble.” As he introduced today’s topic of discussion, he recounted his experience campaigning for Bernie Sanders in Iowa earlier this year:
”…back when we were on the trail with Bernie Sanders in January and February we found ourselves in the state of Iowa for the Iowa Caucus… you remember the Iowa Caucus don’t you? The brilliant… brilliantly managed Iowa Caucus? [laughs] We’ll never do one of those again, right folks? Yeah, that’s right. Now remember this was pre-pandemic so all… you’re making the list, right… of all the things we’re never gonna do again? Where we’re just saying, ‘Fuck that. That’s the end of that’? Okay, that’s one of them, right? We all agree on that, right? No more Iowa Caucuses… it has to be a real primary, run by the state. Everybody votes. Everybody has a chance to vote. Every vote is counted — a novel idea.”
Photo by Max Goldberg
I perked up… because this is exactly the proposal I am making as a representative of the Bernie Sanders campaign on the 2020 DNC Rules Committee! In fact, me and my colleague Maggie are hosting the first grassroots organizing meeting tonight! The reason this issue became so important to me is that I was a precinct captain in Iowa during the caucus in February and saw first-hand how mismanaged the election was. I think it is crucial that we make this reform because of how easily an election can be manipulated by the Democratic Party (the state party runs the caucus, rather than an independent entity), and how detrimental the outcome can be, particularly for anti-establishment candidates.
This got me thinking about how people like Michael Moore (and other well-known pro-democracy advocates) might get involved in this process (or perhaps just lend their very large megaphone). More to come…
Had a crazy work day today… had to go into the office for a couple hours, which ended up being a bit stressful. Only a handful of people were there, but to my dismay — no one was wearing a mask. Just really hoping I can continue to work from home, because it did not feel safe being there.
Worked really hard on processing gifts this afternoon, but made time to work out and do my physical therapy exercises. Feeling rather blah nonetheless. Really just wanted to lay in bed and eat chocolate!
Finished an Illinois Poor People’s Campaign Coordinating Committee call just now… it felt good to check in with folks. Was excited to discuss what is next for the campaign, which will involve building local chapters up across the state, working on fighting voter suppression and voter registration, and championing the Poor People’s Jubilee Platform.
Had a full day today… work was a bit stressful and had to prepare for a DNC Rules Committee organizing call pre-meeting afterwards (the actual call will be this Thursday evening). We made a lot of progress though, and I feel like I have a better grasp of my duties-to-come over the next month. I was thinking I would use this blog as a place to sort of cover (and process) some of the action taking place behind the scenes… stay tuned!
Had a really nice, relaxing weekend! Phil has been coming down from Friday through Sunday now and things between us have been going really well. This weekend we watched Mulholland Drive and Lost Highway, and talked for hours about our interpretations (and we think we have ‘cracked the code’ on both!).
Still from David Lynch’s “Mulholland Drive” (2001)
We have also been reading James Baldwin’s The Evidence of Things Not Seen aloud, which has been amazing. All and all a good start to the week (which will be a busy one with several DNC-related meetings and an Illinois Poor People’s Campaign Coordinating Committee meeting this Wednesday)!
My Dad came over this morning… we had scheduled a video call with my brother and his kids (we only get to chat with them about once a year because they live with their mom), but unfortunately he flaked. Kind of annoying. Been trying to get a bunch of work and personal stuff finished before the weekend begins—so I can relaxxxx.
What else… I had a conference call for work this morning and finally took down all of the Bernie signs I had tiled on the wall of my front room. It was getting kinda strange explaining to people over Zoom that I live in a pop-up Bernie campaign office—LOL. Now I have a whole lot of blank wall space for whatever is next…
I decided to begin studies in August with the University of the Poor‘s new Cadre School! The mission of the University of the Poor is to unite and develop leaders committed to the unity of the poor and dispossessed across color lines and other lines of division so as to build a broad-based and powerful movement to end poverty. Within this activity, the University of the Poor strives to lay the basic foundation for a network of revolutionaries.
All that I have learned about politics to date has come through my own observation and hands on work (working on campaigns, doing movement work, etc.). What I have felt I have been lacking is in historical knowledge, and being able to discuss broader strategic goals (and how to accomplish them). I am excited for the opportunity to learn about revolutionary politics with a group of fellow radicals (I also work better with accountability to a group)!
